Setting up wireless sync takes only a few minutes, and once it's set up, your device automatically syncs new content whenever it's docked (or connected to a power outlet) and in range of your wireless network.

Sign in to the Zune Music + Video software and click Settings, Device, then Wireless Sync.

Click Set Up Wireless Sync.

When the software finds the network your computer uses, select Yes, use this network, and select Next.

Or, to scan for a different network, click No, choose a different network. If your network doesn't appear in the list, click Search Again.

If you want to manually enter your network settings, click Show Advanced Settings.

Click Finish.

Starting wireless sync automatically on your Zune player

Once you've configured your Zune player or Windows Phone 7 to sync wirelessly, all you need to do is dock your device or plug it into a power outlet. After your Zune player has been connected for one minute (or after your Windows Phone 7 has been connected for 10 minutes), the device will begin syncing with your computer. It will remain wirelessly linked with your computer and sync any new content in your collection until you undock or unplug your device or press Cancel.

To automatically sync media to your Zune device, the following conditions have to be met:

On a Zune HD, the player can't be running any games or apps, and the browser must be closed.

Your Wi-Fi network must be on.

You must be logged in to your Windows user account on the computer where the Zune software is installed. (The computer can be locked, but you must be logged in.) The computer also needs to be on the same network as your Zune device.

No media can be playing on the player.

The player must be inactive for at least one minute.

The player’s battery level must be at least 10 per cent and charging. If the battery gauge shows red, then automatic sync can't take place.

To start wireless sync manually on a Zune player

You can start wireless sync manually from a Zune player, whether it is plugged in or not. After syncing manually, your player disconnects from the wireless network to save battery power.

Make sure your computer is on and that you're logged in to your Windows user account.

On your Zune player, select Settings, Wireless, Sync and then Sync with PC.

On the Start screen, type firewall, click or tap Settings and then click Windows Firewall.

Click Advanced Settings.

Click Inbound Rules.

To confirm that ports 1900 and 2869 are open in Windows 7 or Windows Vista

Click Start.

In the search box, type Windows Firewall with Advanced Security.

Open the firewall program, and in the left column, click Inbound Rules.

In the centre pane, scroll down to the Zune Wireless Sync entries, and in the Enabled column, make sure that Yes is selected for ports 1900 and 2869.

Compatible wireless networks

Zune supports wireless local area networks (LANs) that conform to 802.11b or 802.11g, two general-purpose wireless standards. Zune players do not support the 802.11n standard.

When setting up wireless sync, you must apply the same authentication and encryption scheme to your device that's being used on your wireless network. Zune works with the following authentication schemes:

Open network with no encryption

WEP (64-bit or 128-bit key) encryption

WPA-PSK (TKIP)

WPA-PSK (AES)

WPA2-PSK (AES)

WPA2-PSK (TKIP)

Troubleshooting wireless sync problems

If you are having problems syncing wirelessly, there are a few things you can try:

Make sure that your phone or player is charged or is connected to a power source.

Move your phone or player closer to the wireless router you’re connecting to in order to increase the signal strength.

Position the wireless router in a central location, with as few obstructions (like walls or objects) as possible.

Unlock your phone or player’s screen, if a password is set. You’ll need to enter your password before your phone or player can connect to your computer.

You may have to wait a while for syncing to finish. If you're synchronising your player or phone for the first time, or if you're synchronising a lot of data, the process may take a while. Wireless syncing is significantly slower than syncing with a wired connection. If you synchronise wirelessly, data is synchronised at speeds up to 54 megabytes (MB) per second. If you synchronise content over a USB 2.0 connection, data is synchronised at speeds up to 480 MB per second.

Make sure that the name of your Windows Phone does not include spaces.

Make sure that your phone or player and computer are connected to the same SSID on the router.

Try a different computer.

If you tried the steps but are still having problems, try creating a new user profile on your computer. Then, reinstall the Zune software, sign in and try your sync again.

Create a new user profile on your PC

On Windows 8:

Open PC settings, and then click or tap Users.

Click Add a user.

Provide an email address, and then click Next.

If you don’t have a Microsoft account, complete the form to create a new Microsoft account. If you have a valid Microsoft account, this account will be added to your PC.

On Windows Vista or Windows 7:

Log on as the Administrator or as a user with administrator credentials.

Click Start, and then click Control Panel.

Click User Accounts and then Manage User Accounts.

Click Add … to create new user profile.

Type a name for the user information, and then click Next.

Click an account type, and then click Finish.

On Windows XP:

Log on as the Administrator or as a user with administrator credentials.

Turn on wireless sync again and double-check that your settings are correct. To do this, connect your phone or player to your computer using the USB sync cable that came with your device. Click Settings, then Wireless Sync.

If you see a message that says your phone or player is already set up to use wireless sync, click Disable wireless sync to erase your previous settings and start over. If you have a player, you’ll see this message:

If you have a phone, you’ll see this message:

Next, click Set up wireless sync and follow the steps on the Confirm Network screen. To change the wireless network you're connecting to on a player, choose a different wireless network to connect to through the Zune software. On a phone, you’ll need to choose a different wireless network from the phone’s settings > Wi-Fi screen first, then click Refresh on the Confirm Network screen in the Zune software.

If you’re still having problems, try to sync your player or phone by connecting it to your computer with a USB cable. If you can’t sync while you’re connected, there may be a problem with your Zune software. For more help try the step-by-step solution, Can’t sync to Windows Phone 7 or Zune.

Sync error messages

If you see one of the following error messages, try the solutions below.

"Looking for network"

"Connecting to network"

"Connecting to PC"

Error code C00D07C9

Error code C00D07CA

Error code C00D07CB

“Looking for network”

This error means that your wireless network cannot be found. Try the following:

Check that your wireless router is powered on.

Make sure that a device (computer or otherwise) that is supposed to be connected to the router can actually communicate with the router. For example, try to visit http://support.xbox.com on the host computer.

Power cycle the router. To do this, disconnect the power cord from the router, wait 30 seconds and then plug the power cord back in.

Check that the router SSID is set to broadcast mode.

Make sure that the network key, password, or passphrase is correct.

Try resetting your router to its default settings.

“Connecting to network”

This means that the player cannot connect to the network. Try the following:

If the wireless router is configured to accept only clients using media access control (MAC) addresses, you must add the MAC address of the player to the list of clients on the router. To determine the MAC address of the Zune player, select Settings, select Wireless and then select Information. To determine the MAC address of Windows Phone, select Settings, about, and then tap more info.

Make sure the access point or the router to which you connect is a DHCP server. (And make sure the DHCP is turned on.)

Try to reserve an IP address for the device on the router.

Try to assign a static IP address.

For a Zune player, try to configure access manually:

Start the Zune software.

Connect the Zune player to the computer.

Click Settings, click Device and then click Wireless Sync.

Click Set Up Wireless Sync, and then click Show Advanced Settings.

Enter the name of the wireless network.

Select a network type.

Click Next.

Enter a network key or a pass phrase if you are prompted, and then click OK.

Click Finish.

If you use a WEP-encrypted network, check whether it is running in WEP Shared mode or in WEP Open mode. Make sure that the mode listed on the router matches the mode the Zune player is configured to use. (This may require a manual setup.)

If the router has a Turbo G mode, a G-only mode or a B-only mode, try to run the router in "mixed" mode. Mixed mode combines all modes in which the router can run.

If the router has a QoS setting, make sure that it's turned off.

If you are running a network with WPA TKIP+AES or with WPA2 TKIP+AES, try to use only WPA TKIP, WPA AES or WPA2 AES.

“Connecting to PC”

This error means that your firewall may not be configured correctly. Try the following:

Make sure you have the appropriate firewall exceptions in the Windows Firewall and in any third-party firewalls you're running.

Add the Zune device to the exceptions list:

Windows 8 and Windows 7

Click Start, type firewall in the Start Search box, and then click Windows Firewall in the Programs list.

On Windows 8: From the Start screen, start typing firewall, and then click or tap the icon when it appears on your screen.

Click Allow a program through Windows Firewall in the left column, or click Allow an app or feature through Windows Firewall if you’re on Windows 8.

If you're prompted for an administrator password or for confirmation, type the password or click Continue.

Click or tap Allow another program/app in the lower right-hand corner.

Find and then select Zune in the Add a program/app window, and then click Add.

Select Zune, and then click Add.

Click OK two times to save your changes.

Windows Vista

Click Start, type firewall in the Start Search box, and then click Windows Firewall in the Programs list. If you're prompted for an administrator password or for confirmation, type the password or click Continue.

Click Allow a program through Windows Firewall. If you're prompted for an administrator password or for confirmation, type the password or click Continue.

On the Exceptions tab, click to select the Network Discovery check box and the Wireless Portable Devices check box, and then click OK.

Windows XP

Click Start and then click Run. In the Open box, type firewall.cpl and then click OK.

On the Exceptions tab, click to select the UPnP Framework check box under Programs and Services and then click OK.

Note For most third-party firewalls, you must make an exception for "WUDF host process" or for similar processes. For information about how to configure an exception in the third-party firewall or security program, see the manufacturer's documentation for the program.

Make sure the computer you're trying to wirelessly sync to is connected to the router that you've configured your device to. The host computer must be connected to the router through a wireless connection or through a wired connection, and the device must be paired with both the host computer and the router to which it is connected.

If the host computer is connected wirelessly, try to connect it to the router through a wired connection. Configure wireless sync again, and then try to wirelessly sync again.

Make sure that the router is set to enable UPnP notifications and UDP notifications.

If the router has a QoS setting, try turning off the QoS setting, and then wirelessly sync again.

Verify that the necessary services are running. To do this, follow these steps:

Windows 8 and Windows 7

Click Start, type services.msc in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.

On Windows 8: From the Start screen, start typing services.msc, and then click or tap the Services icon when it appears on your screen.

If you're prompted for an administrator password or for confirmation, type the password or click Continue.

Under Name, locate the following services, and then verify that the Startup type is set to Automatic. Additionally, verify that the Service status is set to Started.

SSDP Discovery

UPnP Device Host

Zune Wireless Configuration Service

Note If the Startup type is not set to Automatic, right-click the service you want to configure, and then click Properties. On the Startup type menu, select Automatic, click Start, and then click OK. Additionally, you can try to restart the service if it's possible. To do this, right-click the service name, and then click Restart.

On the File menu, click Exit to close the Services window.

Windows Vista

Click Start, type services.msc in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER. If you're prompted for an administrator password or for confirmation, type the password or click Continue.

Under Name, locate the following services, and then verify that the Startup type is set to Automatic. Additionally, verify that the Service status is set to Started.

SSDP Discovery

UPnP Device Host

Zune Wireless Configuration Service

Note If the Startup type is not set to Automatic, right-click the service you want to configure, and then click Properties. On the Startup type menu, select Automatic, click Start, and then click OK. Additionally, you can try to restart the service if it's possible. To do this, right-click the service name, and then click Restart.

On the File menu, click Exit to close the Services window.

Windows XP

Click Start and then click Run. In the Open box, type services.msc, and then press ENTER. If you're prompted for an administrator password or for confirmation, type the password or click Continue.

Under Name, locate the following services, and then verify that the Startup type is set to Automatic. Additionally, verify that the Service status is set to Started.

Universal Plug and Play Device Host

Zune Bus Enumerator

Zune Wireless Configuration Service

Note If the Startup type is not set to Automatic, right-click the service you want to configure, and then click Properties. On the Startup type menu, select Automatic, click Start, and then click OK. Additionally, you can try to restart the service if it's possible. To do this, right-click the service name, and then click Restart.

On the File menu, click Exit to close the Services window.

Error code C00D07C9

This error means that you may be connected to a Public-level network.

This error can appear when the computer that Zune is installed on is connected to a Public network location. The Public network location blocks certain programs and services from running to help protect your computer from unauthorised access while you're connected to a network in a public place. If you're connected to a public network and Windows Firewall is turned on, some programs or services might ask you to allow them to communicate through the firewall so that they work properly.

If your computer is connected to a Public network, this behaviour is normal and you need to allow the Zune program and the Zune Wireless Configuration Service to communicate through your firewall. If your computer is actually connected to a network at work or at home (or a network you trust), follow these steps:

Click Start, and enter Network and Sharing Centre in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.

On Windows 8: From the Start screen, start typing Network and Sharing Centre, select Settings from the Search bar and then click or tap the icon when it appears on your screen.

Click Public network and then click Work network or Home network.

For a Zune player, try to configure it manually. To do this, follow these steps:

Start the Zune software.

Connect the Zune player to the computer

Click Settings, click Device and then click Wireless Sync.

Click Set Up Wireless Sync, and then click Show Advanced Settings.

Enter the name of the wireless network (SSID).

Select a network type.

Click Next.

Enter a network key, password or a passphrase if you're prompted, and then click OK.

Click Finish.

Note Make sure that the SSID and your password are typed correctly when you configure the Zune player for wireless sync in the Zune software.

Error code C00D07CA or C00D07CB

This error means that you need to connect to a DHCP server. Try the following:

Make sure the access point or the router to which you are connected is a DHCP server. (And make sure the DHCP is turned on.)

Try to reserve an IP address for the Zune device on the router.

If you're using two routers, make sure the router you're trying to connect to is the DHCP server.

For error message "C00D07CB" only: If you use WPA encryption or WPA2 encryption, and you use a 63-character network key, try to use a key that's shorter.

Frequently-asked questions

If I enable Wireless sync, can I still sync over USB?

Yes, you can still use the USB cable to sync your media as needed. This is helpful if you are syncing lots of media or large files, or if you are just in hurry and want the extra speed that the USB connection provides.

Yes, wireless sync will transfer exactly the same items to your Zune-enabled device as would transfer if you were syncing with a USB cable. What gets synced depends on your sync preferences in the Zune Music + Video software.

Videos in your collection may need to be converted to a different format or lower bit rate. If you manually sync wirelessly from your device (when it's not docked or plugged in), those videos won't sync until they've finished being converted. Once conversion is finished, you can manually sync again to transfer those videos to your device.

If your device is docked or plugged into an AC power outlet, it continually syncs any new content as long as it's connected.

How often will my device sync when it's docked or plugged into a power outlet?

Your device remains wirelessly connected to your home computer and syncs any new content that shows up in your collection for as long as it's docked or plugged into a power outlet and your computer is turned on and the Zune software running.

However, if you sync manually from your device (when it's not docked or plugged in), it disconnects from the wireless network immediately after syncing to save battery power.

From what distance can I wirelessly sync my device?

The range of wireless sync varies depending on what barriers might be blocking the signal between the access point and your device. Things like a wall, an appliance or a person can reduce effective range. In general, Zune players have a range of 30 metres (roughly 98 feet).

Can I use wireless sync over a public Wi-Fi connection?

No. Wireless sync links your device with a computer on a single network. If you move your computer or your device to a different network, you need to reconfigure your wireless sync settings.

How many computers can I wirelessly sync my device to?

You can configure your device to sync wirelessly with one computer on one wireless local area network (LAN).

How fast is wireless sync?

Sync speed depends on the quality of your wireless connection and signal strength. In general, however, the limitations of wireless networks cause wireless syncing to be slower than syncing with a USB cable. When you first sync to fill your device with the content in your collection, it makes sense to use a USB cable. After that, wireless sync works great for updating your device.

What happens if I plug my device into my computer with a USB cable during wireless sync?

If you plug your device into your computer during wireless sync, your device drops the wireless connection and syncing stops.

What's an SSID?

Service set identifier (SSID) is the name of a wireless LAN. An open SSID is broadcast to all wireless devices within range of the network access point. In a closed wireless network, the SSID is not broadcast, and users must know the SSID to access the network.

Multiple SSIDs may be available from any one location, but a device can connect to only one at a time.

What's infrastructure mode?

In infrastructure mode, an access point (for example, a router) with an SSID creates a virtual network in which clients (for example, Zune-enabled devices and computers) on the network can communicate through the access point only and not directly with each other. This is the way a home wireless router is usually set up.

What types of wireless authentication do Zune-enabled devices use?

Zune-enabled devices work with the following authentication schemes:

Open network with no encryption

WEP (64-bit or 128-bit key) encryption

WPA-PSK (TKIP)

WPA-PSK (AES)

WPA2-PSK (AES)

WPA2-PSK (TKIP)

What wireless authentication type options available for WEP-based networks?

In the advanced settings for wireless sync, you can choose either Open Authentication using WEP Key or Shared Authentication using WEP Key. Open authentication is the most common use of WEP.

What's a key index?

Some routers store up to four different WEP keys. These keys are given indexes of 1 to 4. Only one key is allowed to be active at any given time, and this is configured within the router. If your wireless network uses key indexing, you must use key index 1 to successfully connect your device with your wireless network.

Can I configure my device to use a static IP address when syncing wirelessly?